Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1887-02-11

writes NE uOsl lutel eetiuS iclNc'e Viva
sionally. They are marvels Of penman-
ship, assure you. The school was Il
flourishing one, as was also the Boys,
Academy under Mr.. Hughes. | was
the youngest girl in Miss Mccormick s
school. General Lafayette was visiting
in this country then. and when we
heard lie would soon come to Leesburg,
there was great preparation for the
visit. | remember it was Tuesday
morning when committee from the
town authorities went to the house Of
e1. President Monroe, and were intro
! duced to General Lafayette, the Presi.
dent Of tue United States, Mr.. George
Washington Lafayette (the Generals
SOM, Col. lie Vassieur. Judge Hay, and
others who were visiting ex-President
Monroe. They were escorted to Lees
burg, about nine miles of by corps Of
cavalry under Lieutenant Selden. Sa-
lutes were fired on his arrival by the
artillery, and great crowds lined the
road and filled the little town. The
party stopped in Mr.. William McCarty's
field, under an oak tree, and General
Lafayette was introduced to Mr.. Cuth-
bert Powell, chairman of the committee
of arrangements, who gave him well
come, to which the General responded
very prettily. He was introduced to
General Rust, marshal Of the day, and
reviewed the troops. The military COM
panies escorted the party into town,
where stop was made in the court
house square. You never heard such
cheers as went up from the crowd. Be-
tween the gate of the square and the
courthouse pOrtico, the girls and boys
of the two schools formed lines on either
side of the way. There WAS great
crowd in Leesburg that day, and many
of the best people were among the num-
Der. The Harrisons, Lees, Powells,
Clagstts, Grays, Bentleys, Ellzeys, jan
neys, Hendersons, and many more were
represented. All the girls were dressed
in white and wore blue sashes. The
bows wore red sashes and had cockades
of white and black. The girls had their
hair dressed with green. l stood at the
head of the line with laurel wreath on
my arm as General Lafayette came to
the front Of the portico. went for
ward and laid the wreath at his feet,
and spoke some lines had committed
to memory for the occasion. | have
never forgotten them. They run this
way:
Hail! patriot, statesman, hero, sage!
Hail Freedoms friend, hail Gallia's son,
Whose laurels greener grow In age,
Pluck'd by the side Of Washington.
| Hail! champion in whose holy cause,
When hostile bands our shores beset,
Whose valor bade the oppresser pause,
Hail! hoary warrior, Lafayette
"When had finished he picked the
wreath up. hung it on his arm and
kept it there. He stopped down, raised
ME in his arms and kissed me. Richard
Henry Lee then took me and carried
me off over the heads OF the crowd. How
they cheered him that day! was in
vited to dinner, but could not go. Lewis
Balch, who is now a minister, repre-
sented the boys OF the school.
Lafayette looked grandly to my
childish eyes. He stood up in stately
way and bowed now and then right
and left to the crowd, smiling in re-
sponse to their cheers. His hair was
gray. He wore long blue-cloth coat
adorned with brass buttons, and had a
sword at his side. He was there day
or two as the guest of the distinguished
men in that vicinity. He had been to
Kentucky, where he visited Henry Clay
at his home at Ashland. 1 shall never
forget that day."
Mrs. Harrington showed awhile silk
badge which she wore on that occasion, f,
and has preserved up to this time. Ii is
about an inch and half wide and sew
eral inches long, aud is slightly discol-
ored by age. At the top are the words,
ga grateful nations welcome guest"
Below are an eagle, picture Of Lafsy-
cite. apd lower down Brandy
Germantown, Monmouth, Yorktown -
and lower still LA Fayette." che says
almost everything in those days wa:
stamped with Lafayette's name.
She married Mr.. L. A. Harrington at
Harper's Ferry in 1888, and hence next
year will be able to celebrate her golden
wedding. She and her husband lived
at Harper's Ferry for many years
Since the war they have resided in thii
city.
Mr.. Harrington, who is an artist, anC
a well preserved and courteous old gen
tleman, said he was living at Harper
Ferry at the time Of Lafayette's visit, and
remembers seeing the military compa
nies which went to Leesburg from many
quarters come back after the reception
One man-Csptain Collins-wore par
Of white horses tail on his helmet hat
Shortly afterwards the lady now BIZ
wife came to Harper's Ferry, grew L
be blooming young creature, witt
whom he fell desperately in love. Ir
no long time the two married, and arr
journeying down the slope Of life hap
PLY together.
Mr.. Harrington has a silver plate